Are they gone? Phew. I've been dying to do this: Red Wedding, Red Wedding, Red Wedding!! Now that that's out of my system, let's take a look at this week's episode. Anything goes in the comments, folks. We're hoping this will help curb some of your urges to spoil in the regular recap. Have at it!--JR

1. It Really Doesn't Matter That They Took So Long To Show Us Jojen & Meera Reed, Does It? : I think many of us were bummed not to see these two last season. They gave some of Jojen's Green Dream skills to Bran and held off on introducing the two. Why? Well I'm guessing they figured we were already up to our neck in new characters. Regardless, they had a killer intro in this episode and both Thomas Sangster and Ellie Kendrick fit the bill. Great look, solid performances. I couldn't be happier.

2. They're Really F*cking Up The Shae Plotline, Aren't They? This scene between Shae and Tyrion was basically unbearable. Sure, Shae's motivations for risking life and limb to be in his chambers are more noble here than they are in the book. (In the book, remember, she's trying to wheedle her way into Joffrey's wedding.) But the supremely silly jealous fit she has over Sansa and Ros? I don't know if it's bad writing or a terrible performance but it was nearly unwatchable. I get it, they're setting up Shae's jealousy to go off like a powder keg when Tyrion and Sansa tie the knot, but they're doing it all wrong. At this rate, we won't care at all what happens to her.

3. They're Really Nailing The Sansa Plotline, Aren't They?: Once again, performance comes into play when we're talking about the success or the failure of this scene. Sophie Turner just killed it. Seeing the young Stark girl crack under the kindness (however manipulative) of the Tyrells was gut-wrenching. Did we miss someone singing "The Bear and The Maiden Fair" in the background? No, no we did not.

4. Sometimes The Best Scenes Are The Ones That Weren't From The Book At All: Yeah that might be hard for a George RR Martin devotee to admit, but a stumbling block for the writers in this season is that there are no chapters from Margaery, Cersei or Joffrey's perspective in "A Storm Of Swords." So they have to make some sh*t up here. And they did a killer job, no? What a scary, sh*tty little psychopath, Joffrey is. And what a clever, seductive little charmer Margaery is. Well done.

5. This Hurt You More Than It Hurt The Non-Book Readers: For those of us who know who gets out alive and who doesn't, certain goodbyes are absolutely heart-rending. When the Starks part ways in Season 1, we know just how long it will be until they all meet again. (Never, never is how long it will be.) This scene was poignant as hell.

6. They're Not Going To Ignore Alfie Allen For An Entire Season: In case you had any doubt, this answered the question of whether or not we'd be seeing Theon Greyjoy at all this year. Of course it makes sense for them to play a little bit with the timeline. They're not revealing yet where they are but this image...

...and this provide an excellent clue.

7. They're Trying Their Damnedest To Cover Some Of The Plot Holes They Created Last Year: Why didn't Arya kill Tywin? Uhhhhhh, cause he wasn't supposed to be there at all but they put him there because it made for better television? No they didn't come out and say that, but close enough.

8. They're Doing A Proper Job Foreshadowing The Mutiny At Craster's Keep: I think a lot of folks who haven't read the books are wondering what the hell this scene with Samwell is doing in the show. Well it's showing the degree of discontent that's brewing in the ranks over some of Mormont's decisions. And it also serves to remind us how much we love the tough old bastard.

9. Sometimes TV Action Is Even Better Than Book Action: Though the fight between Jaime and Brienne is beautifully laid out in the book, there's nothing like seeing steel hitting steel. I thought this was beautifully executed showing Jaime's initial arrogance and Brienne's wariness devolving into defeat and grim triumph. The whole thing is a bit sexier in the book. Jaime remarks, when they're caught, that it looks like they were caught f*cking rather than fighting. But this'll do.

10. The Whole Talisa Thing Might Just Blow Your Mind: They are plenty of ways in which they keep hammering home the fact that Robb and Talisa (aka Jeyne Westerling) are a bad, doomed match. No sir, they're not being subtle about it at all.

But dig, if you will, the insane conspiracy theory video a listener sent to me. If this is how they intend to play it, my hats are off to Weiss and Benioff.

New Character Rundown:

The Queen Of Thornes: Oh I think we all agree Dame Diana Rigg was indescribably great casting. She Dowager Countess'd the hell out of her scene.

Thoros Of Myr (And Anguy The Archer): Sure Thoros wasn't supposed to show up quite so early but you didn't mind, did you? Paul Kaye's insouciant take on the Red Priest was pure delight. Also Anguy's bit with the arrow? Fantastic.

Orell: Mackenzie Crook (of the British "The Office" fame) shows up as Orell the warg/skinwalker. Was he supposed to die last year? He waaas! Crook will be playing a hybrid of Orell and Varamyr.

Jojen & Meera Reed: I already talked about these two. I love them already.

Locke: Who's that? Noah Taylor (Almost Famous, Submarine) is on the scene as the leader of the Bolton bannermen. You know what that means, ladies and gents? It means he's playing the part of Vargo Hoat. We'll have to make do without The Goat.

The Bastard Bolton: We saw him veeeeeer-ry briefly but that was Iwan Rheon as Roose Bolton's son Ramsay. No good can come of this for Theon. No good at all.